DVD Review: In The Bedroom (2001)

In The Bedroom (2001)
Directed by Todd Field
Starring Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl and Marisa Tomei
MPAA: R
Grade: B-

Review by Bobby Nashville

By now, everybody knows the storyline to this movie: a young man gets involved with a recently separated married woman. The young man's parents disapprove but allow the romance to continue, in hopes that it will break up on it's own accord. The married woman's ex-husband is an insanely jealous creep who begins to harass the couple. Things get out of hand and before you know it everyone's lives are torn apart.

Sissy Spacek is decent in the role of the mother of the smitten young man and Tom Wilkinson is even better as the father. Oscar winner Marisa Tomei is also quite good as Natalie, the young woman having a tough time getting her ex-husband completely out of her life. Karen Allen, one of our favorite actresses, makes a brief appearance and William Wise does an excellent job portraying Matt Fowler's friend Willis Grinnel.

The acting of the story carries everything forward and that's saying a lot in this case. In The Bedroom is one of those heavy movies with lots of emotional turbulence brewing under the surface for far too long. Halfway through the movie, one wonders if everything is in fact grinding to a halt. Lucky for us the story takes an interesting left turn for the third act.

Directed by Todd Field (Nick Nightingale from Eyes Wide Shut) In The Bedroom is a good hand wringer about a family in crisis. Obviously Mr. Field has talent as an actor and this helped him bring about the fine performances you see in this film.

Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, In The Bedroom does have its faults. Set in Maine, the story has some nice scenery yet it definitely has a "tv movie of the week" look to it. A more compelling visual style would have helped this film. But the acting is good, the story is interesting, and let's face it: that's half the battle for movies nowadays. You could do much worse than In The Bedroom, an excellent drama with several fine acting performances.

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